The Billionaire and His Intern (A Christian Romance)

Chapter 12: Office Romance

Alexander glared down at the work before him. It had been steadily growing by the minute, but he couldn't give it the mental space it required. Not while she taunted his mind. Dancing about like a spring dream. Yet he had to keep her as far away as he could.

He twiddled his thumbs while playing with the pen on his desk. His mind continued to wander, seemingly without him. "Ugh!" He yelled in frustration, slamming his fist down on the mahogany wood. He replayed every word that she said. His initial excitement in seeing her had quickly dissipated when she made her intentions known.

Now he felt like a heartsick teenager and the level of irritation it caused him was unbearable. Yet the irritation was directed completely inwards. Each time he thought he had finally understood the depths of feelings and the curiosity that came with them, it would only prove futile because he would find that just as the depth of the sea- the depth of his emotions went far deeper than he had bothered to explore before.

Ring! Ring! His office phone blared. He flinched from the sound and abruptly sat up in his seat. His wandering mind leaped forward, finally focusing on something that wasn't her. His brows furrowed. There was no reason for him to receive a call during the lunch hour. "Yes?' He answered promptly as he accepted the call.

"Hello, sir." Romero's voice spoke calmly from the opposite end of the call. Alexander's posture grew rigid. His guards never called unless something had gone wrong. "Arielle left the building, sir," Romero continued.

"What do you mean she left the building?" Before he could push for any more details, he heard the guard mumble something that was soon followed by an audible click. The call ended abruptly.

It was all blurry for Alexander. He hadn't expected Arielle to leave the premises at any point before the end of her shift, but instead, she completely blindsided him. He rushed from his office, not sparing his secretary a glance. He fought to keep his mind from wandering towards the woman who captured his attention on her first day, she was running about, wreaking havoc on his peace.

Or at least that's what he told himself. He angrily muttered as he pushed his way through the crowded lobby. He would have run out there himself if his guards didn't return in such haste. Once he had reached the first floor, he could see them through the tall pane-glass windows.

He could feel the many curious gazes glued to his back. A high number of his employees were there, lingering about in their curiosity and not working. He sighed in frustration as he thought about their salaries.

What would happen if he lessened them for being so enthralled by something that didn't concern them? It could incentivize them to focus on what was important. He thought toward himself.

He blew out air and battled against the shakiness of his leg.

Within only seconds, she re-entered the building. There were guards on her every side, but they parted as they neared him so that Alexander Marquee could see her perfectly. His breath caught in his throat. He watched her like a masterpiece, one that would be placed for all to see, but guarded carefully to keep from thieves. Her beauty would never cease to amaze him.

She appeared flushed, with a few of her neatly tucked away curls betraying her and flowing near her face. She was studying him, that he knew, but he didn't have the time for pleasantries, not here.

"Mhm," she began clearing her throat. Her large brown eyes held shock within them. He wondered if she didn't notice the curious stares. He raised his hand, halting any further words or sounds from tumbling from her lips which successfully stopped her.

"Follow me to my office." He requested, attempting to keep his professionalism at its peak and he swiftly turned away. Alexander swallowed. He could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest. A woman had never made him feel nervous before, but Arielle stirred something in him, causing it to leap in his throat. The elevator ride had been suffocating for him. He never realized just how small it was. He wondered how much it would cost to install a larger one.